On June 21, the New York state legislature passed a bill that ends inhumane wildlife killing contests, in which participants compete to kill the most, the heaviest and the smallest animals for cash and prizes.
In 2018 and 2020, the Humane Society of the United States released undercover investigations that exposed wildlife killing contests in New York, documenting participants hauling in bloody piles of dead foxes and coyotes to be weighed and counted for prizes. Competitors joked about the “thrill” of the kill and threw dead animals into a dumpster. More than 20 killing contests took place across the state in January and February 2023.
S.4099, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kennedy, passed by a vote of 46-15 on June 7, and A.2917, sponsored by Assemblymember Deborah Glick, passed by a vote of 86-54 on June 21. The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Kathy Hochul. Gov. Hochul’s approval would make New York the ninth state to outlaw these events, following California in 2014, Vermont in 2018, New Mexico, Arizona and Massachusetts in 2019, Colorado and Washington state in 2020, and Maryland in 2021. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to vote on a statewide ban on killing contests in September 2023.
“Most New Yorkers would be shocked to learn that dozens of horrific, unsporting contests take place each year in New York to kill the largest number of certain species of wildlife, or some other metric like the largest specimen,” said Asm. Glick. “These killing contests encourage senseless brutality, and serve absolutely no scientifically backed ecological or conservation purpose. The wildlife of the state is a natural resource for all New Yorkers to enjoy, and to allow these cruel contests to incentivize wasteful killing for cash is an insult to nature.”
“The fact that these contests and competitions are still legal in New York, and fall under the disgusting guise of ‘entertainment’ is not only absurd, it’s inhumane,” said Sen. Kennedy. “This bill takes a real, meaningful step to outlaw these cruel events, and provides new protections for our wild animals. I was proud to draft this in collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States, and fight for its passage in both houses alongside Assemblymember Glick and so many outstanding advocates for New York’s wildlife.”
“Today’s victory is not just a win for the animals, it is a triumph for humanity and an affirmation of our shared commitment to a world where coexistence and compassion are at the forefront,” said Maggie Howell, executive director of the Wolf Conservation Center in New York.
“By passing this bill, New York has demonstrated its commitment to the long-term protection of the state’s wildlife,” said Johanna Hamburger, director and senior staff attorney for the Animal Welfare Institute’s terrestrial wildlife program. “Wildlife killing contests can result in hundreds of animals being wiped off a landscape in a single weekend, which undermines the effective functioning of ecosystems. This bill is a victory for native wildlife that will improve the effective management of wildlife populations.”
“These historic votes in the Senate and Assembly bring New York closer to ending the scourge of wildlife killing contests, and the wasteful use of our state’s resources for nothing more than cash and prizes,” said Brian Shapiro, New York state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Senator Tim Kennedy championed this bill during an exceptionally busy legislative session and deserve recognition for their determination to getting it passed prior to the end of session. We now respectfully call on Governor Kathy Hochul to immediately follow through by signing A.2917/S.4099 into law.”
The HSUS and allies are also working to ban wildlife killing contests in other states in 2023 including New Jersey, Nevada and Oregon.
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